Variable-speed device.



PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

H.- E. KELLOGG.

VARIABLE SPEED DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 5. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No Honm..

En Z

.ef/gy UNITED STATES l Patented July- 26, 1904.

PATENT OEEI'CE.

TO GEORGE F.y -SWAIN, OFV HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

VARIABLE-SPEED DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No."765,ee7, dated Jury 2e, 1904.

Application liled 'January 5, 1903.y

T all whom, it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HENRY E. KELLOGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in` the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and useful Variable- Speed Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to. means for the transmission of power at a variable speed and in two directions of revolution, my object being to provide a construction which is particularly adapted to the heavy duty required` in the transmission of power'from the motor in propelling heavy motor-vehicles whether in use on ordinary roads or railways, the same being more particularly described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in -Whichp Figure 1 is a side elevation of a frame with many of the operative parts mounted therein which comprise my invention. Fig. 2 is a `plan showing parts of the frame and of a large friction-wheel and the yoke ends of several operating levers broken away to an axial section indicated' by broken line A B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevationV looking in the direction indicated byv arrow C, Fig. 2, but with two spur-gears and a chain-wheel removed and two shafts broken away on broken line E F, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

The large wheel 1 is mounted on the end portion of a lshaft 2, which latter is mounted in bearings in frame 3. At both sides of wheel 1 are annular beveled faces, such as 4, 5, and 6 and 7, 8, and 9.V

At one side of wheell is mounted a shaft 10, which latter extends entirely across in front of wheel 1 from one end of frame3-to the other, being mounted in bearings at 11,` 12, and 13. At the opposite side of Wheel 1 from shaft 10 are mounted in bearings 16 17 and 18 19, respectively, shafts 14 and 15.

Spur-wheels 2O and 21 connect shaft-14 with one end of shaft 10, and spur-wheels 22 and Serial No. 137,795. (No model.)

23 connect the shaft 15.

Beveled wheels 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 are slidingly mounted on splines on shaft 10, half the'number of these wheels being disopposite end of shaft 10 with posed at each side of the center of wheel 1, 4each with its beveled face in close proximity to some one of the annular beveled faces 4, 5, land 6 of wheel 1. The beveled-faced Wheels 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and are mounted on shafts 14 and 15 in a manner the same as Vthe wheels onshaft 10, but have their beveled Ifaces in close proximity to the annular bevv 36, 37,38,- 39, 4G,.and 41, engaged with these hubs, are really double, since they are bifurcated, as seen in Fig. 3, where lever 36 only is shown in order. not to complicate the drawing. The other levers are each longer than -lever36land each longer than the lever preceding it, as seen on reference to the drawings, wherein lever 41 is shown longer than lever and lever 40 longer than lever 39. Levers 37 to 40, inclusive, extend across the operating-rods 42 of said levers, and the latter numbered levers each straddle the operating-rods 42 of 36 to 40, inclusive, as seen in Fig. 1. The levers may be made single and securedtogether, so as to form pairs adapted to be operated each pair by a single rod, such as 42, :to attain simplicity.

The beveled wheels, such as 30 and 24 and 31 and 25, which are directly opposite at the sides of wheel 1, as well asall` the other side beveled wheels similarly disposed, form-pairs, of which each pair is singly brought into contact with the annularly beveled oppositelydisposed `faces of wheel 1, which couples or places in running engagement shafts 14 or 15 with shaft 10.

Levers 36, 37, and 38, which respectively operate into and out of engagement side wheel pairs 30 24, 3125, and 32 26 are pivotally mounted at the lower ends in the base of frame 3, and levers 39, 40, and 41 are pivotally mounted intermediate their length in the upper part of the frame, this arrangement being such that levers 36, 37, and 38 are engaged with the hubs of wheel pairs 30 24, 31 25, and 32 26 at the intermediate portion of their length, while levers 39, 40, and 41 have the lower ends thereof in engagement with the hubs of the wheel pairs 33 27, 34 28, and 35 29, as seen in Fig. 2.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that wheel pairs 35 29 have been brought into contact, respectively, with the outside annular.

beveled surfaces 7 and 4 of wheel 1, the placing into engagement of this pair having been accomplished'by moving lever 41, Fig. 1, from a vertical position (indicated by a broken line) to the inclined position shown, so that the lower ends of the lever have moved the pair simultaneously inwardly or toward the center of wheel 1 until the beveled faces of the latter and of the pair of wheels have been brought into close and firm contact, with the result that they are adapted to transmit power in either direction of revolution from the pair to wheel 1 or from the latter to the pair, as l may be desired, and this is also true of all the other pairs in their relation to wheel 1 and in the relation of the latter to each pair. The

main object of this invention, however, is to employ wheel 1 as the driver, and it may serve as the fly-wheel of an internal-combustion engine and ordinarily would revolve but in one direction; yet this system of mechanism is such that the movement toward the center of wheel l of any pair of wheels controlled by levers 36, 37, or 38 would result in a revolution of shafts 14 and 10 in opposite directions, but the motion of shaft 10 would be in a certain direction, and if these wheels are released and any one pair of wheels controlled by levers 39, 40, and 41 be moved toward the center of wheel 1 shaft 10 would be revolved in a direction opposite to that of the first-named certain direction, and in either direction power may be transmitted therefrom by means of the chain-wheel shown at the end near spurwheel 21 or from any other means connected with either of the shafts, since the spur-wheels positively connect shafts 10, 14, and 15, as stated.

On account of the difference in diameter of the annular beveled surfaces of' wheel 1 and the practically uniform sizes of the different pairs of wheels, which may differ in size considerably, it is obvious that in addition to motion in two directions of revolution a variable speed may be transmitted also and that on account of wheel l being simultaneously engaged from both sides a very regular and even result may be attained when transmitting a heavy power duty and at a high rate of speed, thus particularly adapting this system of mechanism to the purpose intended.

As clearly shown on the drawings, the pitch or beveled engaging surfaces of the several friction-wheels are varied and made at gradually-increasing angles of inclination in a direction from the outer annular beveled faces of the main driving or friction wheel toward the axis of rotation thereof in such a manner that all portions of said engaging beveled surfaces shall contact, so that friction between the surfaces and slipping of one surface over another may be eliminated so far as possible.

From the above description it will be obvious that the improved frictional transmitting device may be connected with and driven from a suitable source of power in various ways, and while I have herein referred to the main driving or friction wheel as being mounted upon a main motor or driving shaft it is evident that said wheel may equally well be mounted upon a driven shaft and the several lperipherally-beveled friction-wheels may be operated from a driving shaft or shafts operated from a suitable source of power.

I claim as my invention-' 1. In a variable-speed device, a shaft and a friction-wheel mounted thereon, a side shaft pairs with the latter, and means for placing the pairs of wheels of the side shafts into and out of engagement with the first-named wheel, for the purpose stated.

2. A variable-speed device comprising a revoluble shaft with a friction-wheel mounted thereon, the wheel having a plurality of annularbeveled surfaces at each side face, a shaft revolubly mounted entirely across before and substantially concentric with one of the side surfaces ofthe said wheel, and two other shafts each revolubly mounted partially across before and substantially concentric with the other side surface, a plurality of peripherallybeveled wheels slidingly mounted on the three last-named shafts but adapted to revolve with the shafts,the oppositely-disposed wheels being in pairs, and means adapted to move any one of the pairs independent of the other pairs into and out of engagement with the beveled surfaces of the first-named wheel, for the purpose stated.

3. In avariable-speed device a shaft, afric- IIO therewith, means for simultaneously moving the oppositely-disposed friction-wheels carried by said shafts into rand out of engagement with the first-named friction-wheel, and

means for connecting the last-named shafts,

substantially as described.

4. In a variable-speed device of the character described the combination with the main shaft of a main friction-wheel mounted thereon, having a series of annular surfaces upon its two side faces, aside shaft extending across said friction-wheel, a plurality of fr ictionwheels carried thereby, a pair of side shafts arranged at the opposite side of said frictionwheel, friction-wheels carried thereby and oppositely arranged with respect to the wheels of the first-named said shaft, means for moving any two of said op positely-arranged wheels into and out of engagement with said iirstnamed friction-wheel.

5. In a variable-speed device of the character described, the combination with the main shaft and the main friction -wheel carried thereby, a pair of side shafts arranged at one side of said wheel, friction-wheels slidably mounted upon said shafts, means for sliding each of said friction-wheels independently of the others, and a side shaft arranged at the opposite side of said friction-wheel, frictionwheels slidably mounted thereon and oppositely disposed with relation to the frictionwheels of the first-named side shafts, means for independently moving each of said friction-wheels, means connecting said last-named side shaft with the yfirst-named side shafts, and means for actuating any two of the oppositely-arranged friction-Wheels simultaneously whereby the same may engage with the main friction -wheel, substantially as described.

6. In a frictional power-transmitting mechanism, the vcombination of a pair of transmission-wheels having beveled faces and mounted shiftably upon their axes and disposed diametrically oppositev each other, a drivingshaft supported at right angles to the axes of said wheels, a driving-wheel secured to said shaft and disposed between said transmissionwheels and provided on opposite sides with annular friction-surfaces beveled correspondsion-wheels disposed diametrically opposite each other, a drivingwheel disposed between said transmission-wheels, a reversing-wheel adjacent tothe driving-wheel, means for moving. the transmission-wheels and reversingy wheel into and out of frictional Contact with the driving-wheel, and means imparting rotary motion to said wheels.

8. The combination of two shafts which cooperate and are arranged parallel with each pair of transmission-wheels into and out of fric- I y tional contact with the driving-wheel.

9. The combination of two parallel shafts one of which is rotated by the other, two sets of transmission-wheels mounted axially shiftable on the respective parallel shafts and provided with beveled faces, each wheel of one set being diametrically opposite a wheel of the other set to form pairs, another shaft, a,

driving-wheel secured thereto and disposed between the sets of transmission-wheels and provided on opposite sides with concentric any nular friction-surfaces beveled correspondingly with the transmission-wheels, and\ means for simultaneously and independently shifting each pair of transmission-wheels into and out of contact with said driving-wheel.

10. The combination of a set of transmission-wheels provided with friction-faces bev-v eled successively at gradually-increasing. an-

roo

gles of inclination and supported axially shiftable, a driving-wheel provided onpits side with concentric annular friction-,surfaces bev-- eled correspondingly with said transmission- Wheels, means for independently shiftingsaid transmission-wheels intorand out of contact with said driving-wheel, and means imparting rotary motion to said wheels.

l1. The combination of two parallel shaftsr geared to turnin unison, two sets of transmission-wheels mounted axially shiftablev on thel respective parallel shafts, each wheel of one set being diametricallyopposite a Wheel lof the other setto form pairs having frictionfaces beveled successively at gradually-in- IlO creasing angles of inclination, another shaft, l

a driving-wheel secured thereto and disposed between said sets of transmission-wheels and provided on oppositesides with concentric I zo annular friction-surfaces beveled correspondingly with the transmission-wheels,.and means for shifting said pairs ofl transmission-wheels g independently into and out of frictional con,- tact with the driving-wheel.

12. The Combination with tWo shafts, of transmission-wheels rotated by one shaft, a driving Wheel secured to the other shaft, means for e'ecting frictional engagement of 5 the transmission Wheels with the driving- Wheel, another shaft, a reversing-Wheel secured thereto adjacent to the periphery of the driving-Wheel, meshing gears secured to said last-named shaft and to the shaft of the trans- IO mission-Wheels respectively, and means for effecting' friotional Contact of said reversing- Wheel with said driving-Wheel.

i In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY E. KELLOGG.

Witnesses:

OSCAR SNELL, ALBERT E. EBERT. 

